Coach Prime and the HBCU Football Revolution at Jackson State

Deion Sanders’ arrival at Jackson State University in 2020 sparked a cultural shift around HBCU football. One of the most talented football players of all time (and a great baseball player to boot), Sanders could have landed pretty much any coaching gig he wanted. But over three seasons, Sanders took the Jackson State Tigers from a regional force to a national titan.

Sanders joined Jackson State as their head coach in September of 2020. His premier season was both delayed and shortened due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and his overall 2020 season record was not consistent with his later results. The Tigers competed in a truncated spring 2021 schedule, finishing the season with a 4–3 record, including one win by forfeit. Despite a lackluster opening season, the chaos of pandemic football caused many teams that year to underperform. 

Almost immediately, Sanders drew unprecedented national attention to Jackson State—largely due to ESPN broadcasts— creating a level of visibility the program had not yet experienced.

Sanders’ established  momentum carried into the following fall 2021 season. Jackson State won a record-breaking 11 games and secured the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) championship. The success also earned them a spot in the Celebration Bowl, where they were defeated by South Carolina State. 

For both his win record and personal impact, Sanders received the 2021 Eddie Robinson Award. As a testament to Sanders’ charisma and talent, Jackson State set an FCS record for attendance that year, averaging more than 42,000 fans per home game.

In 2022, Jackson State had another incredible, record-breaking season. Before athletes started the fall season, Sanders helped expand Mississippi athlete opportunities. In March 2022, Sanders held a Pro Day featuring athletes from four other schools in Mississippi to provide a platform in front of 22 NFL teams and the Canadian Football League. In April 2022, Jackson State became the first HBCU to have its spring football game televised live nationally on ESPNU.

Once the fall season began, the Tigers went undefeated in SWAC play, secured a second consecutive conference title, and returned to the Celebration Bowl. This time, they lost to North Carolina Central in a 41–34 loss, giving Sanders a postseason bowl record of 0–2. In December 2022, Sanders unexpectedly announced that he would be leaving Jackson State, and HBCUs, behind. Coach Prime headed off to the University of Colorado, leaving a nuanced legacy behind.

In December 2021, Sanders pulled off one of the most shocking upsets in college football recruitment history by flipping Travis Hunter, the No. 1 overall recruit in the 2022 class, from Florida State — Sanders’ alma mater — to Jackson State. Hunter became the first five-star prospect to sign with an FCS program, and his choice to sign with the Tigers added prestige and legitimacy to a historically underestimated program. Sanders and Hunter proved that HBCUs, long excluded from elite recruiting conversations, could now be seen as serious players in the national talent pool.

Off the field, Sanders worked to fill in resource gaps. He reportedly paid for training meals and facility upgrades with his own money, and worked to boost both revenue and reputation at a program that, like many HBCUs, had historically operated with lesser funding. His celebrity and success brought discussions of HBCU funding into the national spotlight.

As mentioned, Sanders’ exit from Jackson State was swift and consequential. After accepting the head coaching job at the University of Colorado in late 2022, many Jackson State players followed him– including Travis Hunter. Jackson State’s program had been significantly buoyed by Sanders, and his departure left a noticeable void. 

On one hand, his departure could be seen as the natural next step in a coaching career on the rise. But, on the other hand, Sanders abruptly left a team that he had a huge hand in uplifting, taking top talent with him. To many, Sanders had abandoned not only Jackson State, but his commitment to HBCU football equity.  

In three seasons, Deion Sanders secured a 27–5 record, won two SWAC championships, and brought Jackson State into more homes than ever before. He reshaped the narrative around HBCU football, helping expand HBCU influence and reputation. Though tarnished by his exit/abandonment of Jackson State (depending on your point of view), Coach Prime remains an integral piece of the Tigers’ legacy.

Author contributor Faith Ellington